Short answer
Thailand's Finance Ministry is studying a draft Departure Tax Act that would charge travellers of every nationality 1,000 baht each time they leave the country by air. The law would allow a maximum of 5,000 baht, land and sea departures would be exempt at first, and it would take effect 180 days after publication in the Royal Gazette. It is not in force. The first public consultation runs from 30 September to 29 October 2026, and the Thai Hotels Association and the Tourism Council of Thailand have objected.
What the Finance Ministry has proposed
The Finance Ministry has asked the Revenue Department to consider a draft Departure Tax Act, The Thaiger reported on 8 October 2026. Under the draft, anyone leaving Thailand by air would owe 1,000 baht, whatever their nationality. The act itself would cap the rate at 5,000 baht per departure, and the actual rate would be set later in ministerial regulations. Departures by land or sea would be exempt at first.
The first round of public consultation runs from 30 September to 29 October 2026. If the law passes, it would take effect 180 days after publication in the Royal Gazette. The draft exempts, among others, children aged two or younger and transit passengers who stay in the transit area. Operators and ticket agents would normally collect the tax together with the fare.
Why the industry objects
The Thai Hotels Association said on 9 October that it had written to the Revenue Department to oppose the draft. It calculated that a foreign visitor could eventually pay 2,570 baht per trip in charges: the 1,120-baht international passenger service charge in force since 20 June 2026, the proposed 450-baht tourist fee and the proposed 1,000-baht departure tax. For a family of four it put the total at 10,280 baht. The association stressed that only the passenger service charge is collected today.
The Tourism Council of Thailand has also formally opposed the tax, arguing that it would raise the cost of international travel and could weaken demand. By 13 October the Finance Ministry's permanent secretary had defended the plan: the 5,000-baht figure is only the ceiling, the expected rate is 1,000 baht, and the tax would apply to Thai travellers as well. He said part of the revenue from departing foreigners could fund visitor insurance, and the ministry is considering whether this could replace the separate proposed tourist entry fee.
Thailand has taxed departures before
The idea is not new. The Thaiger notes that Thailand introduced an overseas travel tax by emergency decree in 1983, charging 1,000 baht by air and 500 baht by land or sea. Land and sea travel were exempted from 1 May 1986, and air travel from 1 July 1991. The old tax applied to Thai nationals and foreigners allowed to live in Thailand, while the new draft would cover travellers of all nationalities.
Nothing here is settled. The Thaiger reports that the proposal is still under consideration and has not taken effect. The tourist entry fee is a separate proposal from the Tourism and Sports Ministry; you can follow both in our Thailand travel news.
What to do, and where our tours fit
There is nothing to pay or prepare today. If you book flights out of Thailand for 2027, watch for a Royal Gazette notice, and keep in mind that the draft says tickets bought before the law takes effect would not pay the tax. Airlines and ticket agents would collect it, so it would show up in your fare, not at a counter.
Our tour prices are per person for the day itself and do not include flights or government charges. If you spend a last morning in Bangkok, our Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun tour, from $75 per person, meets at about 8:30 am and ends around 12:30 pm; allow plenty of time for the airport and your own check-in.
Practical checklist
- Do not expect a 1,000-baht charge today: it is a draft and has no start date.
- When you book an international flight out of Thailand, check the fare breakdown for government charges.
- Watch the Royal Gazette and the Finance Ministry for the outcome of the consultation that ends on 29 October 2026.
- Leave generous time for the airport on the day of your flight, whatever you plan that morning.
Questions and answers
Is there a departure tax in Thailand now?
Not the one proposed. Airports of Thailand has charged an international passenger service charge of 1,120 baht since 20 June 2026. The 1,000-baht departure tax is only a draft law, according to The Thaiger and The Nation.
Who would pay the departure tax?
Travellers of every nationality leaving by air, under the draft, unless exempt. Thai travellers would be included. Land and sea departures would be exempt at first, according to The Thaiger.
When could it start?
No date has been announced. The draft says the law would take effect 180 days after it is published in the Royal Gazette, and it has not been passed.
Would it replace the 450-baht tourist fee?
Possibly. The Finance Ministry's permanent secretary said by 13 October that the ministry is considering whether the departure tax could replace the proposed tourist entry fee. Neither measure has been approved.